Landscape treatment at the escalator enclosure, Henry and Edsel Ford Auditorium, Detroit Civic Center

Dublin Core

Title

Landscape treatment at the escalator enclosure, Henry and Edsel Ford Auditorium, Detroit Civic Center

Subject

Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998
Public sculpture, American
Relief (Art)

Description

The Ford Empire relief was located in the Ford Auditorium constructed on the Detroit riverfront as the new home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra during 1955-1956. Perhaps the most notable feature of the building's interior was the expansive, curvilinear lobby adorned with some of Marshall Fredericks' most delicate and refined sculptures.

A 145-feet long filigreed metal mural, The Ford Empire, swept almost the entire length of the curved outer wall. On the balcony walls at either end of the foyer stood polished metal theatrical groupings of circus performers, musicians, harlequins, and dancers. Formed from literally thousands of pieces of copper, nickel, brass, stainless steel, and aluminum and plated with gold, zinc, and cadmium these pieces were hand-shaped, joined, plated, and polished.

Creator

Unidentified photographer

Source

Marshall M. Fredericks Papers.
Series II, Box 13, Folder 9

Date

undated

Contributor

Crane Kiehler and Kellogg, O'Dell Hewlett and Luckenbach, Architects
Edward A. Eichstedt, Landscape architect

Rights

Use of this image requires permission from the Marshall M. Fredericks Archives.

Relation

II-13-09

Format

image/jpeg

Language

eng

Type

Image

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Black and white print

Physical Dimensions

8" x 10"

Files

Item #8114.jpg

Citation

Unidentified photographer, “Landscape treatment at the escalator enclosure, Henry and Edsel Ford Auditorium, Detroit Civic Center,” Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, accessed April 25, 2024, https://omeka.svsu.edu/items/show/8114.